Tory leadership hopefuls test waters

There’s a “Draft Jono” page on Facebook that has drawn the attention of Jonathan Denis, the justice minister. He also speaks of many calls from supporters.Gavin Young Gavin Young
/ Calgary Herald

Doug Horner would be the only candidate from the 2011 leadership race making a repeat bid. He finished third, with support in Alberta’s smaller towns and rural areas. He prefers an early leadership election, to help the four-decade governing party get on with running the province.Christina Ryan Christina Ryan
/ Calgary Herald

Thomas Lukaszuk, the labour minister, said he’s keen to see the contest rules. He met with his Edmonton riding association Saturday and told members to think about qualities they want in the next party leader.Leah Hennel Leah Hennel
/ Calgary Herald

Ken Hughes, the municipal affairs minister first elected as a Calgary MLA in 2012, has gone as far as scheduling a news conference Monday in Calgary, to let Albertans know he wants their feedback about his prospects as premier.Stuart Gradon Stuart Gradon
/ Calgary Herald

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At least four senior cabinet ministers have begun to dip toes into the Tory leadership waters, with now-former premier Alison Redford headed to the government backbenches and Dave Hancock bringing temporary stability to the party helm.

Many members waited a few days after Redford’s resignation announcement. But with a leadership contest to be settled in four to six months, Doug Horner, Ken Hughes, Thomas Lukaszuk and Jonathan Denis are now publicly putting out feelers for support.

Finance Minister Horner, the most senior among them, has already begun honing lines to distance him from an embattled ex-leader who proved unpopular with her caucus, the party and the public with her questionably high travel expenses.

“Last time, I talked about definition of Progressive Conservative and that we need to base our decision off the values and the principles, not ideology,” he said Sunday in an interview.

“I think we wavered from there, and that’s unfortunate. And I think we’re going to have to do something to bring that back.

“It’s time we were proud to be PC and be Albertan.”

Hughes, the municipal affairs minister first elected as a Calgary MLA in 2012, has gone as far as scheduling a news conference Monday in Calgary, to let Albertans know he wants their feedback about his prospects as premier.

“It’s the start of a conversation across the province about the kind of leadership we need and whether or not the leadership I could provide is appropriate,” said Hughes, a former Conservative MP and Alberta Health Services chairman.

The open talk from the would-be premiers came ahead of Monday’s Tory board meeting, where party brass will discuss timing for the third leadership race they have held since 2006.

PC constitution states it must be held between July 23 and September 23, in the same one-member, one-vote system used to select Ed Stelmach in 2006 and Redford in 2011. Decisions over the required entry fee are in Tory directors’ hands, and a high price tag could dissuade long-shot contenders.

Lukaszuk, the labour minister, said he’s keen to see the contest rules. He met with his Edmonton riding association Saturday and told members to think about qualities they want in the next party leader.

There was a renewed sense of enthusiasm and optimism in the crowd, a sharp departure from the morale three weeks ago, when members felt demoralized in the face of critical media coverage of Redford, Lukaszuk said.

“It’s almost like a reset button was pressed and they are ready to start rebuilding and fundraise and go out there and get ready for 2016,” he said, referring to the next general election year.

Lukaszuk said he’s undecided about a leadership run. “If it is me ... I will very seriously be flattered and consider it. If it isn’t, I will put all of my support behind a candidate who does.”

There’s a “Draft Jono” page on Facebook that has drawn the attention of Denis, the justice minister. He also speaks of many calls from supporters.

“I’m flattered ... but at the same time it’s a very large undertaking and I need to do some more exploration.”

Before making any kind of decision, the Calgary-Acadia MLA’s focus is on healing wounds within the PC party. “It’s time we bury past grievances,” Denis said.

Of the four, all but Hughes attended the swearing-in Sunday of Hancock as Alberta’s 15th premier.

Horner would be the only candidate from the 2011 leadership race making a repeat bid. He finished third, with support in Alberta’s smaller towns and rural areas. He prefers an early leadership election, to help the four-decade governing party get on with running the province.

He also said he’s already received much unsolicited support from his colleagues, and appeared to be reusing some three-year-old comments about his connection with the party grassroots.

“It’s easy to regurgitate what you believe if it’s in your heart,” said the finance minister and capital region MLA.

He said his immediate goal is getting the 2014 Alberta budget passed when the legislature returns next month from a two-week constituency break.

His cabinet colleagues haven’t put a firm timeline on their decisions, either. Should any ministers make a run, tradition holds they must resign their positions and return to the government backbench.

Doug Griffiths, a minister who ran in 2011, has all but bowed out, and government Asia envoy Gary Mar — last contest’s runner-up — has ruled it out. There’s hype around former treasurer and 2006 leadership candidate Jim Dinning, though his Twitter profile states “recovered politician and never going back.”

Speculation also swirls around some Alberta MPs, and perhaps most hopefully among Tories activists around former minister Jim Prentice.

In the wide-open race to replace Redford, with no clear front-runner, former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel is also getting the questions but not yet offering answers.

And although Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi isn’t a Tory member and often shares his disdain for partisan politics, he’s invited attention by refusing to rule out a run in media interviews.

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